


Surrender

by petrichor_rain



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-12-18
Updated: 2013-12-17
Packaged: 2018-01-05 00:52:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,492
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1087649
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/petrichor_rain/pseuds/petrichor_rain
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Arthur and Merlin find Princess Mithian unconscious in the Forest of Ascetir, they know something's wrong. They soon find out: Morgana.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Princess in the Forest

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first attempt at a Merlin fanfic. Comments welcome! Help me improve this story :)

“Arthur, wait. I think my horse just threw a shoe.” Merlin jumped down to the leafy forest floor. The horse whinnied in pain and tossed his head. “Easy there, boy.” Arthur swallowed a sigh of exasperation as he swung his horse around and trotted back to Merlin.   
“Will you hurry up? We’ll lose the trail!” They had been tracking the manticore all day, and Arthur knew they were fast approaching their quarry.   
“Yeah, sorry. Just give me a minute.” Merlin bent over the horse’s hoof, turning his back to Arthur. “áfæstnede.” The shoe reattached with a quiet whoosh. Merlin put his foot in the stirrup and swung into the saddle. “Ready, sire.”  
“That was quick.” Arthur eyed Merlin suspiciously. “Right, let’s get a move on.” They rode in silence past the trees looming in shadow, dry sticks cracking under the trotting hooves. Suddenly Arthur stopped and knelt on the ground. “Here, see this red hair? The beast is heading for the Caves of Iva.” Merlin’s eyes widened.  
“Isn’t that the one with the windy tunnels that stretch for miles?” Arthur nodded. Digging his heels into his horse, Merlin galloped ahead. “We’d better hurry then, before all the daylight fades.   
“You’re not scared, are you?” Arthur grinned at Merlin’s vehement denial.   
“I just don’t want to spend all day getting you out. You have a terrible sense of direction.” Merlin snorted.  
“As if. You’re the one who had to be rescued from the kitchen pantry.”   
“That place is a labyrinth! It’s not my fault they have to stock so much food to feed your enormous appetite.” Merlin poked Arthur in the ribs as he rode past.   
“Enough chatter. We’re getting close.” Both men stared ahead into the gloom, the silence weighing heavy on their minds. Suddenly a sound like a trumpet blasted through the forest. Merlin straightened up with a start and brushed a leaf that had fallen from the tree off his shoulder.   
“What on earth was that?”   
“I’m not sure.” Arthur peered ahead into the gloom, pushing a branch aside. The   
horses snorted and stamped their hooves, glancing around.   
“Look at the horses. Something’s spooking them.” Merlin pointed out worriedly. Arthur nodded and put his finger to his lips.  
“Shhhhh. I think hear something.”  
Merlin craned his neck to see around a tree.   
“I don’t hear anythi-” All of sudden a body came hurtling towards them from the trees. It landed with a thud on the ground, sending leaves swirling into the air. Arthur leaped from his horse and turned the cloaked figure. He gasped. “Princess Mithian!”  
Merlin crinkled his eyebrows in confusion. “What’s the princess doing in the Forest of Ascetir?”   
Arthur gestured helplessly at the air. “I don’t know! Just help me get her on the horse.” Suddenly Mithian’s eyelids fluttered. A soft moan escaped her lips.   
“Morgana…” she clutched weakly at Arthur’s sleeve, fear in her eyes. Arthur’s expression turned grim.   
“Let’s go. We have to get out of here, fast. If my sister is near…” He said no more. He didn’t have to. Merlin knew how dangerous Morgana was. They shared a grave look and turned back to head for Camelot.   
“She’ll live, but she’s going to need a few days to recover. She’s been through a lot.” Gaius turned to the king. “We need to let her rest.”  
“But we don’t have a couple of days! If Morgana is planning something, I need to know. All of Camelot could be in danger.” Arthur pulled at his hair in frustration.   
“And if we don’t let Mithian rest, then she won’t be well enough to help us.” Merlin touched the king’s shoulder gently, pulling him towards the door.  
“You’re right Merlin, as usual.” Arthur sighed. “I just want to be able to protect my people.”  
“I know. And no one does a better job than you. You are Camelot’s Once-and-Future King Arthur. You’re doing fine, but you won’t be able to protect your people if you exhaust yourself like this. You need to rest too.” Merlin said. Arthur nodded and allowed Merlin to lead him out of Mithian’s room.


	2. Attempted Murder

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mithian is not all she appears to be; Morgana makes an attempt on Arthur's life.

"Did everything go according to plan?" Morgana asked the man trembling in front of her. "Y-yes milady. Mithian is safely inside Camelot. Arthur suspects nothing." He gulped nervously and bowed. “Good. You have done well Andret. You may go now.” Morgana smiled cunningly. “Arthur is mine now.” 

“How is she Gaius? Really?” Merlin asked worriedly.   
“She should make a full recovery by tomorrow. Now stop pacing, you’re making me nervous.” Gaius rested a hand on Merlin’s arm. “I know you’re worried about Arthur, but right now I need you to deliver this potion to Mithian. It will help her get her strength back.” Merlin nodded and left to do as Gaius asked, trying to put his fears aside.   
He opened Mithian’s door quietly, not wanting to disturb the sleeping girl. He turned around and was surprised to find the princess already awake and sitting up in bed.   
“Merlin! How are are? I haven’t seen you in such a long time.” She smiled brightly. A few seconds of silence passed and her smile dimmed. “Merlin, are you ok? Is something wrong?”  
“Um, no milady. I just wasn’t expecting to find you awake, that’s all. You’ve been through quite an ordeal.” Merlin managed. Mithian’s smile disappeared completely. A cloud seemed to pass over her face as she shivered.  
“Morgana is coming to Camelot. Merlin, I have to warn Arthur-” Mithian grabbed Merlin’s hand in a death grip.   
“It’s ok Arthur knows. We guessed as much. Rest now and you can tell us the details later.” Merlin said as he gently eased Mithian back into bed. Mithian nodded as her eyes slowly closed and she passed into the realm of sleep. Merlin left her room and went to find Arthur. When he entered the king’s chambers he found Arthur slumped at his table with his head in his hands. “Sire, Mithian confirmed what we guessed. Morgana is coming to attack Camelot.” Arthur’s shoulders sagged and he rubbed his eyes.   
“Thank you Merlin. You may go now.” Merlin nodded and left, closing the door gently.   
Climbing into bed that night, Merlin found himself unable to sleep. Something was nagging at him. A feeling he couldn’t shake, no matter how he tossed and turned. A feeling that Arthur was in danger. Giving up on sleep, he pulled on his trousers and a jacket and snuck out, careful not to wake a snoring Gaius. The shadows were long and dark in the courtyard as Merlin hurried across the open space, looking over his shoulder for any sign of the nightly patrols that kept the castle safe from invaders. The click of his shoes against the stones was the only sound in the sleeping castle. He pressed his ear against Arthur’s door, listening for any sounds of a disturbance. Suddenly the door was flung open, knocking Merlin back several feet. Arthur strode out, turning down the hallway without a backwards glance. Stunned, Merlin watched his king disappear around the corner. Then, coming to his senses, he shook his head and followed Arthur. Peering out from behind a pillar, he watched the king enter Mithians room. His uneasy feeling growing, he walked with increasingly fast steps until he was running.   
Flinging open the door, Merlin beheld a ghost-white Mithian standing over a kneeling Arthur, a gleaming dagger in her hand. Without stopping to think, Merlin shoved his hand towards Mithian and flung her back several feet. He ran to Arthur and caught him just as he fell to the ground, unconscious. Heaving Arthur onto the bed, he checked to make sure the young king was breathing before turning to the princess splayed out on the floor. Cautiously, he knelt beside Mithian, relieved that she appeared to be unhurt. Merlin knew how capable he was of hurting people with his magic when Arthur was in danger. Checking the hallway to make sure no one had noticed the disturbance, he sat down to wait for his friends to awaken and shed some light on the strange occurrences of the night. 

 

Morgana hissed in anger as she contemplated how Arthur had escaped death yet again. Stone dust fell in a light rain from the ceiling as the pillars began to shake. Taking a deep breath, Morgana brought her magic under control before the whole tower collapsed. Mithian had been enchanted with dark magic. Only the most powerful of sorcerers could have thwarted her plans. Emrys. Always there, at every turn, haunting her. Black hair radiating wildly from her head, she stalked to the window to gaze out at the massive army camped all around. Even if Camelot was not leaderless and weak when they attacked, it would still fall. There was no doubt. None could withstand her and her army, not even the renowned Knights of Camelot. A chillingly evil smile spread across her face as she began to laugh.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments would mean the world!

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Feel free to comment or leave kudos!


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